FISHES It is a regrettable fact that salmon and sea-trout are now almost extinct in those rivers of Sussex in which they were formerly not uncommon. I have however been able to ascertain that a considerable number of sea-trout, grilse and sometimes salmon are occasionally sent to fishmongers in Brighton from the lower part of the Ouse. The fishermen have been left entirely to themselves for many years, and of course net the river in illegal ways. The only attempt hitherto to stop this illegal fishing was made in May, 1901, by a private body, the Ouse Preservation Society, who, with the sanction of the Board of Con- servators, obtained a conviction against two fishermen. It is a fact not generally known that the trout in some of the rivers in Sussex visit the sea in considerable numbers. I have seen trout with all the markings of brown trout caught in nets at some miles distant from the mouth of any river. This habit of the trout has been noticed many times. There is apparently good evidence to show that dace are not in- digenous to some at any rate of the rivers in Sussex where they are now very numerous. This is notably the case with the Ouse. The only way in which their presence can be accounted for is that the Ouse was formerly celebrated for pike fishing, and attracted a considerable number of fishermen from London, who brought live dace with them as baits. Some of these must have been turned loose at the end of the day's fishing and have bred freely. Men who fished the Ouse between thirty and forty years ago all agree that there were then no dace in the river. At the present time they swarm there. TELEOSTEANS ACANTHOPTERYGII **3. Bass or Sea Bass. Moro>ie lahrox, Linn.
- i. Perch. Perca Jiuviatilisy Linn. Large shoals of small bass travel some dis-
This fish is common in most of the rivers tance up the rivers in the summer months, and ponds fed by streams. As a rule speci- This is particularly noticeable m the Cuck- mens do not reach a size of more than half mere River, where they sometimes go up as a pound, though sometimes heavier are re- high as Alfriston. The common people m corded. The largest which has come under some localities call the fish ' white salmon.' my personal observation weighed just over three pounds, and was caught at Horsted 4. Maigre. Sclana aquila, Cuv. et Val. y"^^' A specimen from Hastings is recorded in
- 2. Pope or Ruff. Acerina cernua, Linn. 1867 and one from Brighton in 1868. Since
This species is common in some localities then many have been recorded from the only. Sussex coast. Note. — A single asterisk (*) accompanies the names of such species as are found only in fresh vi-ater. Two asterisks (**) distinguish such species as may be taken in either fresh or salt water. 267
